American Red Cross Gets Ready to “Sound the Alarm” For Fire Safety In The Metro

They will install hundreds of smoke alarms for free on April 28

FARGO, N.D. — The American Red Cross Dakotas Region will “Sound the Alarm” on fire safety with local fire departments on April 28.

Tonight, the organization presented their campaign to the Fargo City Commission.

A person has less than two minutes on average to get out of their home during a fire before it can become life–threatening.

And it only takes five minutes for a home to become engulfed in flames.

That’s why the American Red Cross is preparing to “Sound the Alarm” with local fire departments across the metro. They will be installing free smoke alarms in neighborhoods throughout Fargo, West Fargo, Moorhead and Casselton later this month.

“We look at demographics within the community and look at where we had fires in the last year, five years and if there’s any patterns,” said chief Steve Dirksen with the Fargo Fire Department.

“Some of them are older buildings; some of them are newer and just didn’t have them installed. Sometimes you might take a battery out and not replace it or a smoke alarm will outlive its life and it hasn’t been replaced,” said Lynn Speral, American Red Cross Dakotas Region CEO.

The American Red Cross and the Fargo Fire Department presented its plans for the big day to the Fargo City Commission.

“We’re all about preventing fires. We know if we prevent a fire, that’s better for everyone in the community,” Dirksen said.

Especially because fires tend to happen more often in homes than anywhere else in the metro.

“You spend a large amount of your life in your home and a lot of the time when you’re in your home, you’re in the most vulnerable condition that you’re in. Your senses are depressed because you’re sleeping and they’re not as heightened as they could be,” Dirksen said.

Which is why the American Red Cross officials say it’s important to take the preventive measures and install a smoke alarm.

“Fire can happen to anybody and it does happen to a lot of people. The sooner you know there’s a fire, the more likely you are to get out of your home with your life and the life of your family,” Speral said.

The American Red Cross Dakotas Region and local fire departments will install smoke alarms with a lithium battery, which is meant to last ten years.